Apparatus for folding sheeted articles

ABSTRACT

Device for multiple folding various length sheets of flat material, utilizing a slotted rotating mandrel and flattening rollers to first roll and then flatten the sheets to form the folds.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Donald C. Lindley Tulsa, Okla.

21 Appl. No. 712,551

[22] Filed Mar. 12, 1968 [45] Patented Mar. 30, 1971 [73] Assignee Poly-version, Inc.

Tulsa, Okla.

[54] APPARATUS FOR FOLDING SHEETED ARTICLES 5 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 270/61 [51] Int. Cl B65h 45/00 [50] Field of Search 270/62, 61;

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,170,684 2/1965 Eggleton 270/62 3,241,829 3/1966 Acher 270/84 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,211,123 2/1966 Germany 270/61 Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michel] Assistant Examiner-Paul V. Williams Attorney-Leonard H. King ABSTRACT: Device for multiple folding various length sheets of flat material, utilizing a slotted rotating mandrel and flattening rollers to first roll and then flatten the sheets to form the folds.

Patqpted March 30, 1971 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

INVENTOR. DONALD c. LINDLEY fima/w/ A ATTORNEY I V Patented March 30, 1971 5 sheets sheet 2 INVENTOR. DONALD C. LINDLEY ATTORNEY I Patentecl- March 30, 1971 s Sheets-Sheet s tusau il W 3. 822 Ok ugszfiu III. M u mrumsw Oh lllll 5: =54

INVENTOR. DONALD C. L/NDLEY A TTORNE Y APPARATUS FOR FOLDING SHEETED ARTICLES This invention relates to devices for folding finite lengths of flat material as part of a manufacturing process, and in particular to machines for high speed multiple folding of long or short lengths of thin material such as paper or plastic into narrow folds without damage to the material.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the manufacture of such items as paper goods or plastic goods, it is often required for shipping and other reasons that large sheets be folded automatically and quickly into small sizes. Previous equipment for accomplishing this was large and bulky, was only capable of a small number of folds in each operation or machine, was relatively slow, and was not readily usable with combined paper-plastic articles. There existed considerable need for a device which would eliminate these drawbacks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION There is described herein a device which will accept finite lengths of sheeted articles of any length or plastic-paper combination, and fold this material into narrow, uniform width folds at high speed, in a single machine operation. The folds are creased without damage to the material. A large number of folds can be made at once, and the device can be fit to match any sheeting production line. Used in conjunction with an automatic sheeting process, it results in completely automated packaging of folded goods.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a device which will make multiple narrow folds of sheeted material automatically and at high speed.

A further object is to provide a device which is simple in construction and operation and will create multiple folds in sheeted material without damage to the material.

Another object is to provide a device for multiplying folding sheeted material that can easily be adapted to fit most sheeting types of production lines.

These and other features, objects and advantages of the invention will, in part, be pointed out with particularity and will, in part, become obvious from the following more detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which forms an integral part thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the various FIGS. of the drawing like reference characters designate like parts.

FIG. 1 isa plan view of a device of this invention for automatically folding sheet material.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the same device taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a simplified isometric view showing those parts essential to the operation of this invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along lines 44 of FIG. 1 showing the sheet flattening portion of the device described in this invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 1 and shows a yoke used to slide the rolled sheet off the mandrel.

FIG. 6 is a pictorial view of the complete device of this invention for rolling and flattening, and including means of delivery of the sheet stock to the device.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the ejector electrical circurt.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of the clutch and brake control electrical circuit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The operation of the device may best be illustrated by referring to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. In FIG. 3 belt 23 is conveying cut lengths 39 toward the folding device. Shown as 39a are, for example, separate plastic strips which have been formed on a continuous tissue paper backing sheet. The article 39a enters slot 38 in mandrel 37 causing photocell 43 to command the mandrel 37 to begin to rotate when the article begins to exit from the right side of the mandrel. Adjusting this photocell adjusts the last fold placement and the number of folds necessary. The mandrel rotates until the entire article is rolled onto it, plus whatever rotation is required to make an integral number of total rotations of the mandrel. After the article is rolled onto the mandrel yoke 41 is pulled by air cylinder 35 toward the flattening rollers 33, which forces rolled article 39b into the flattening rollers, which are rotating at high speed. The flattening rollers then flatten article 39b into article 390, which is the final folded article ready for use, or for further folding in the other direction, transverse to the folds just described. In FIG. 4 the article is not shown for clarity.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the device is shown in somewhat more detail. Delivery belt 23 is shown as four belts 23a, 23b, 23c, 23d, which are all supported between rollers 25, 29 and lower roller 27 which maintains the upper section flat for delivery of the article into rubber drawer roller 31 which is driven by motor 67 through gear and clutch-brake 69. Motor 67 also drives, through gears 51 and 49, clutch-brake assembly 47, which rotates mandrel 37 as well as gear 53 with cam 57 attached, and at some point in its travel strikes microswitch 55. Yoke 41 is then pulled toward rollers 33 by air cylinder 35 which is operated through air line 58 by air valve 59, 59 being a solenoid valve electrically controlled. Flattening rollers 33 are driven through belts by motor 45.

The entire device is shown as an isometric drawing for further clarity in FIG. 6.

The schematic of the electrical circuit for 10124665255651 7 of the mandrel is shown in block form in FIG. 8. The starting position of the mandrel is stationary with the slot horizontal and ready to accept the article 39, and with the brake 47 energized to prevent rotation of the mandrel. When the article 39 passes completely through and protrudes to the other side of the slot in the mandrel, it breaks the electric eye circuit 43 causing the brake to release, the clutch in brake 47 to engage and rotate the mandrel a preset integral number of revolu tions. The mandrel is stopped when cam 57 strikes microswitch 55. The number of revolutions is set to be more than required to roll article 39 completely onto mandrel 37. Cam 57 striking microswitch 55 returns the brake-clutch 47 to the original condition with the brake energized, the clutch deenergized and the mandrel fixed with the slot horizontal.

FIG. 7 shows the schematic for subsequent operations which remove the article 39 from the mandrel, through the flattening rollers, and out of the machine. Microswitches 55 and 71 and relay switch 61 are shown in their normal, or normal closed, positions as applicable. Solenoid coil 59, which operates the solenoid valve controlling air entry to air cylinder 35, is not energized, with current flowing through relay coil 63 and holding relay switch 61 at the normally closed position, as shown. However, when cam 57 strikes microswitch 55 signaling the end of mandrel rotation, it opens switch 55 removing current from coil 63 and allowing relay switch 61 to enter the normally open position. This puts current through solenoid coil 59 which drives the ejector on the air cylinder by opening the air solenoid valve 59. When the air cylinder reaches the end of its travel, having forced rolled article 39 into rollers 33, it strikes microswitch 71 putting it onto the normally open position, and then yoke 41 returns to its normal position as shown in FIG. 1. When switch 71 is put in its normally open position, current passes through relay coil 65 which returns relay switch 61 to its normally closed condition against the spring and latching it in this condition. The system is now reset andawaiting the passage of the next article through the mandrel.

There has been disclosed heretofore the best embodiment of the invention presently contemplated and it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

lclaim:

l. A device for multiple folding discrete lengths of thin sheet material for use in combination with means for supplying the lengths of sheet material to said device, comprising:

a. a mandrel having a longitudinal, diametral slot extending thereacross from an end thereof, the slot being substantially coplanar with the sheet supplying means when said mandrel is at rest;

b. means for supporting said mandrel about the longitudinal axis thereof;

c. means for feeding a length of sheet material into and through the longitudinal slot;

d. means for rotating said mandrel a predetermined number of full revolutions to roll up the length of sheet material whereby the diametral slot is again substantially coplanar with the sheet supplying means;

e. means for axially removing the thus rolled length of sheet material from said mandrel; and

. flattening means positioned at said one end of said mandrel for receiving and flattening the rolled length of the sheet material.

2. The device of claim 1, including sensing means for sensing the presence of a length of the sheet material in the mandrel slot and controlling said means for rotating said mandrel.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said sensing means is a photosensitive device.

4. Apparatus for folding discrete lengths of flexible sheet material comprising:

a. a pair of supply rolls having parallel axes of revolution;

b. guide members associated with said supply rolls for feeding sheet material between said supply rolls;

c. a longitudinally slotted cylindrical mandrel, with the slot extending through one end of said mandrel; said mandrel being positioned with its longitudinal axis parallel to the axes of said supply rolls and opposite the guide members;

d. means for automatically aligning the slot in said mandrel opposite said guide members for receiving in said slot sheet material passing through said guide members;

d. sensing means for sensing the presence of a sheet in the slot of said mandrel;

f. rotating means under the control of said sensing means for rotating said mandrel for winding the sheet about said mandrel;

g. pusher means mounted for sliding movement along said cylinder;

h. means to axially slide said pusher means to push the rolled up sheet off the slit end of said mandrel;

i. switch means responsive to the rotation of said mandrel for stopping the rotation of said mandrel and then actuating said means for axially sliding said pusher means; and

j. a pair of counterrotating flattening rollers arranged with their respective axis of rotation transverse to the longitudinal axis of said cylindrical mandrel, said counterrotating rollers being positioned proximate the slit end of said mandrel for receiving the rolled up sheet, said flattening rollers being sufficiently spaced apart so as to receive and flatten the rolled up sheet.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said sensing means is a photosensitive device. 

1. A device for multiple folding discrete lengths of thin sheet material for use in combination with means for supplying the lengths of sheet material to said device, comprising: a. a mandrel having a longitudinal, diametral slot extending thereacross from an end thereof, the slot being substantially coplanar with the sheet supplying means when said mandrel is at rest; b. means for supporting said mandrel about the longitudinal axis thereof; c. means for feeding a length of sheet material into and through the longitudinal slot; d. means for rotating said mandrel a predetermined number of full revolutions to roll up the length of sheet material whereby the diametral slot is again substantially coplanar with the sheet supplying means; e. means for axially removing the thus rolled length of sheet material from said mandrel; and f. flattening means positioned at said one end of said mandrel for receiving and flattening the rolled length of the sheet material.
 2. The device of claim 1, including sensing means for sensing the presence of a length of the sheet material in the mandrel slot and controlling said means for rotating said mandrel.
 3. The device of claim 2 wherein said sensing means is a photosensitive device.
 4. Apparatus for folding discrete lengths of flexible sheet material comprising: a. a pair of supply rolls having parallel axes of revolution; b. guide members associated with said supply rolls for feeding sheet material between said supply rolls; c. a longitudinally slotted cylindrical mandrel, with the slot extending through one end of said mandrel; said mandrel being positioned with its longitudinal axis parallel to the axes of said supply rolls and opposite the guide members; d. means for automatically aligning the slot in said mandrel opposite said guide members for receiving in said slot sheet material passing through said guide members; d. sensing means for sensing the presence of a sheet in the slot of said mandrel; f. rotating means under the control of said sensing means for rotating said mandrel for winding the sheet about said mandrel; g. pusher means mounted for sliding movement along said cylinder; h. means to axially slide said pusher means to push the rolled up sheet off the slit end of said mandrel; i. switch means responsive to the rotation of said mandrel for stopping the rotation of said mandrel and then actuating said means for axially sliding said pusher means; and j. a pair of counterrotating flattening rollers arranged with their respective axis of rotation transverse to the longitudinal axis of said cylindrical mandrel, said counterrotating rollers being positioned proximate the slit end of said mandrel for receiving the rolled up sheet, said flattening rollers being sufficiently spaced apart so as to receive and flatten the rolled up sheet.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said sensing means is a photosensitive device. 